Rent Seeking

Attempting to accrue the benefits of a monopoly. Usually this is term is used to refer to government regulatory action.

For Example: Suppose the FDA banned the use of all ginseng except organic red ginseng. While seemingly at least slightly fair, this can often be done to generate money for a constituent industry, if organic ginseng can only be grown in a powerful congressman's district. This gives those farmers a de facto monopoly on that product, which produces "Rent".

See also Going Short on Volatility.

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